Tea Time for the Occupation

And thus the Occupy Wall Street movement sprang up, not necessarily in reaction to the above situation but to what it typified. The most recent poll that I’ve seen indicated that 54% of Americans sympathize with Occupy, with only 23% against it. Given the state of the economy, the deadlock in Congress, the palpable and growing income inequality in America, and the disorganization of private sector initiatives, one might assume that Occupy will grow to 1960s dimensions and either bust the dam or sufficiently lift the river to flow over it. So now you have our attention. Tell us what you REALLY want!!

Even to those I know who’ve spent time in Zuccotti, it is difficult to know what the movement hopes to accomplish beyond a general “change” that middle class America can bank on. It’s hard to figure out who’s running what, what the goals of the movement are, or who actually speaks for it. That’s because Occupy is being governed by committee, sorta.

If Occupy is to become truly effective, it needs to buck the growing American trend of disorganization. It needs to focus on what issues are really important, and put aside all of the other things that might legitimately be complained about in 21st-century America. Whatever Occupy wants to change about America, it should adopt some tried-and-true American methods of getting it done—good organization, effective communication, and—dare I say it—significant fundraising.

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Controversial as it may sound, (Lord, forgive me for saying this) Occupy might learn more by looking to the right rather than to the left or the center. The Tea Party, literally within months of its creation, was capable of defining very precise goals, organizing brilliantly around many state and federal races in 2010, raising a hell of a lot of money, and taking Congress away from the Democrats. Their first and simplest goal was to stop Obama, and for the most part they have. They have thus already had a profound effect on American society.

By contrast, at Occupy there are countless placards about countless issues. The movement needs to pick a battle and start fighting for all it’s worth. Maybe it can challenge the idea of corporate personhood, maybe the war will focus on the Supreme Court’s Citizen United decision—whatever it is, it needs to offer a glimpse of what the world will be like if and when the demonstrators get what they want.

Congress is in a rut, and right now it seems as if Occupy is spinning its wheels, digging into some very slippery sand, bringing to mind some wise words from Bishop Gerald Burrill—“the only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.”

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